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In the News: Long-Awaited Street-Fair Reform
••• Several Tribeca businesses made InStyle‘s Beauty Black Book 2016: Fourteenjay, pictured above, for color (“the result—with its mix of sun-catching honey and champagne, plus seamless coverage of her roots—was all our tester had hoped for”); Blackstones at the Roxy for cuts (“I showed him a picture of model Alessandra Ambrosio, and he said, ‘I can give you that exact cut'”); and JinSoon for nails (“Jin Soon Choi is known for her sophisticated designs and on-trend shades”). All have special InStyle deals this month.
••• “Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration is proposing changes to the city’s street fairs intended to end the corporate flavor of many of the festivals, addressing a long-standing complaint from civic groups and elected officials that the fairs are a costly headache and do little to benefit the communities where they’re held. Under proposed rules scheduled for a public hearing on October 13, at least fifty percent of vendors participating in a street fair would have to be businesses with locations inside the same community board where the event is being held. That proposal marks a major change that could remake the character of the roughly 200 street fairs the city currently allows each year. […] Under the proposed regulations, there would be geographic distribution of street fairs—no more than 200 street fairs could be held citywide each year, and no more than 100 of them could be located in Manhattan. Each community board would be limited to 20 street fairs annually.” Naturally, the companies that profit from these sad affairs are crying foul. But why is the city allowing these at all when they end up costing the city so much? “New York City earned $1.6 million in vendor fees from more than 300 street fairs in 2010, but the events cost $4 million in overtime pay for the police officers staffing them, the Daily News reported that year.” —Politico
••• “An NYPD traffic agent was left with a bloody nose after getting into an argument with a man on Canal Street.” —DNAinfo
••• More on that loud Fashion Week party on Beekman that went on well past its permit allowed. And in the same post, a look at the use of 144 Duane as a mysterious event space. —Tribeca Trib
••• An essay from 1994 about a family of four living on a boat at Pier 25. —Tribeca Trib
••• “State Senator Daniel Squadron took the floor at Tuesday’s meeting of the Battery Park City Authority board to push once again for residents of the community to be allowed to speak at meetings where decisions about their futures are made.” —Broadsheet
••• Daytonian in Manhattan looks into the history of 81 Hudson, which you know better as the building with Puffy’s on the ground floor.
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Eric – love the site. The neighborhood wouldn’t be the same without you and your work. But I have to say …I sent you a text about that party before 6p that night and all I got from you was a snide remark. You really missed this story as it was happening and chose to make fun of me and my concern. Hopefully you will think about that next time.
I would call it matter-of-fact, not snide. At 6pm on a Friday, you emailed (without introducing yourself) a photo and this: “Wtf is this? It’s on top of the parking garage on Beekman between Pace dorm and Beekman Pub.”
“It looks like a party,” I replied. I was just answering your question. Was it obvious that you wanted more? Was I supposed to run over and investigate? Don’t you live across the street?
One of the things I dislike most about doing this site is having to receive random, anonymous bursts of negativity. Sometimes I feel like Nathanael West’s Miss Lonelyhearts—people feel better for venting, but I’m left with the residue. Honestly, if you had stated who you are and avoided starting the email with an expletive, I probably would’ve been nicer.
Not to pile on, but agreed. I also texted (in a very nice manner and sans expletives) a short FYI and a video. I didn’t even get a response…not that I needed one, but an acknowledgement of trying to help you, your site, and the broader community would’ve been nice.
I’m sorry not to have responded; I hope it can go without saying that I appreciate any and all tips. I did post about the event at https://tribecacitizen.wpengine.com/2016/09/11/seen-heard-is-101-warrens-sidewalk-shed-permanent/. I suppose I could’ve noted that two people had emailed and texted, but it didn’t seem like it would add much. I actually try to say that kind of thing a lot, so it’s clear I value the input, but at some point it does get repetitive to readers.
I’m pretty good about responding in general—much better than most media outlets, I’d wager. You texted me at 8am on a Saturday, so it’s also entirely possible I just didn’t feel like working at that moment, and then I forgot about it. (If you email, it sits in my inbox till I do something about it. There really should be a way to mark texts as “unread.”)
I get a lot of texts and emails—that’s life when you have a publicly available cell-phone number, but it can be exhausting. Texts carry an air of urgency that they don’t always earn, and the anonymity of them (all I see is a phone number) is off-putting at times.
I’m with Erik on this matter. Texts from people you don’t know can be intrusive, emails not so much. Texts tend to be informal. Emails not so much. Whenever I reach out to Erik I send an email and always do so in advance. One text at 6 pm on the day of the event and one at 8 am on a Saturday morning? Seriously people? I could never imagine myself sending a text and then complaining if he didn’t text me right back. Erik, you do a great job with your SOP.
Erik, frankly I’m incredibly grateful you do what you do. The couple of times I’ve written with tips or suggestions or feedback or whatnot you’ve been an absolute dear. You’re wonderful, you’re appreciated and I never miss a post! Thank you.
I appreciate that. Perhaps I missed your preference for email on the contact page, but duly noted for future reference.
Re: Street Fairs – Great news.
Probably the first strong positive feeling I have had for any of Mayor De Blasio’s policies since taking office.
A bit of community involvement is certainly a much needed change
Thanks for sharing the good news.